A TRAFFIC scheme to ease congestion could cause more hold-ups around Gosforth roads, it is claimed.

Newcastle City Council has given the thumbs-up to a £9.6m plan to revamp roads around Gosforth, which it says will let traffic flow more easily and prevent accidents.

But opponents say the plans will cause chaos for car users in an effort to improve bus and cycle lanes and slow down traffic to keep pedestrians safe.

Members of the council’s executive agreed to put the scheme, planned by officers, forward for a share of a funding pot for projects which improve bus routes on Tyneside after hearing the public had their say during a consultation process.

Council leader John Shipley said: “The consultation is telling us something needs to be done about these junctions.”

But the Conservative spokesman for East Gosforth, Martin Sharman, disagreed. He said: “Papers show the council is willing to impose delays on car users through these changes, something we consider unacceptable. The public agree with us, as revealed by the consultation process.”

The proposed improvements would mean up to 13 months of roadworks to completely change the structure of junctions at Salters Road, Haddricks Mill and Blue House roundabout.

Gosforth High Street would also be altered, with bus lanes put in and other traffic confined to one lane in each direction.

The city council hopes to get 90% of the funding for the scheme from the Department for Transport’s regional funding allocation for the work, which could start as early as 2012.

Blue House and Haddricks Mill are among the main accident blackspots outside the city centre, as well as having poor air quality caused by congestion. Traffic lights would be added here to improve safety and speed up the flow of traffic.

The council’s deputy leader David Faulkner also raised concerns that the scheme could slow cars during rush-hour, but said the scheme was good overall.

He said: “It might take longer as a road user to come through the High Street because we want to make traffic slower to improve road safety.”

Wendy Taylor, the city council’s executive member for environment, sustainability and transport, said: “This is a welcome report on three junctions which have caused problems for many years.

“The advantage of this scheme is it carries improvements for all road users.”